Lyrically great and production wise top 10. A great start into the game as Kanye started out great. One of the best hip-hop releases in the past 20 years.

Kanye West's first album is above one of the most strongest albums ever, creating meaningful and awesome rap songs that will never get old. Ever.

IMO the best debut rap album of all time. the beats are insane, the album came out in a time where the world needed it the most, the lyrics are incredible and witty. this album is as good as mainstream/soul/r&b hip-hop gets

A near flawless start to one of the greatest album trajectories of this generation, College Dropout is the record that established Kanye West as a force in the music industry. He may not be the greatest rapper, but he knows how to use his sampler and revamps classic soul songs to make enjoyable modern hits.

West's debut head-bopper is just that: a head-bopper. "Dropout" tries to accomplish a tough juggling act - paying equal attention to subverting braggadocious hip-hop cliches and embracing them (if a bit sarcastically) to make a more lively, enjoyable album. Unfortunately, this juggling comes across as hypocrisy rather than compromise for the sake of art. Because of this, even in "Dropout"'s most magnificent moments - of which there are many - it largely doesn't work contextually. Regardless, terrific production, awesome vocals and some hilarious, even poignant story interludes make this worth plenty of attention even with its faults.… Expand

I can't claim to be a big fan of hip hop/rap. I won't go out and buy a record from this genre, but occasionally someone will pass me an album and I'll give it a listen and enjoy it. I like a lot of Jay-Z's stuff. Kanye West is another rapper who I can listen to. This, his debut is a strong record, got some great backing tracks going on and some really clever rhymes going on. The production is superb. I do have a gripe about couple of the tracks though. I don't mind the occasional use of the F word, at times it will heighten or emphasise an emotion or sentiment but I don't understand the need for excessive F-bombs and motherfing all over the shop one a few of the tracks here. It's pointless, ruins an otherwise very clever record and just conforms to stereotype. This guy is articulate enough to get his point across without resorting to gutter language. I guess that's just a feature of the genre but at times really turns me off.… Expand

Perhaps the best album of the entire decade. This album is so fresh, so unique, so beautiful. His lyricism is outstanding, and the subject matter is different for once. This is revolutionary, and Hip Hop, and music as a whole, needs Kanye West. Fantastic, brilliant album.

There are good moments here, but the album is rarely great. Kanye demonstrates his incredible creativity as a producer, but he lacks the vocal tone to be a great rapper. His voice always feels a little stilted. On the two best tracks - "Spaceship" and "Two Words" - West must rely on others to supply many of the best rhymes.

It has quite a legacy in redefining modern hip-hop which was in desperate need of changing as its mainstream popularity began to dip. The College Dropout, whilst filled with an annoying quantity of skits is also reasonably consistent and inventive.

absolutely a great album whoever says that this wasnt good should go commit suicide . this is kanyes most personal album and it showed. Pure genius one of the best rap albums ever

A strong debut from the producer who brought us Jay-Z's (excellent) The Blueprint record. His rhymes are sometimes funny and poignant. He's one of Hip-Hop's best right now.

Incredible, this is where it all started. So sit down and enjoy one of the greatest rappers on one of the greatest rap albums. classic.
Then go out and have a listen to all his others, each being superb in their own individual ways.

Released on February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records
Kanye was not new to the rap scene, but with The College Dropout he introduced himself as not only as a dope
producer but a talented rapper. Every track is pure Kanye gold; itâ

Probably one of the realest hip hop albums of all time.

Terrific album, lots of tracks make you nervous at first, thinking that it must lose it's stride along the way, but College Dropout delivers, it is a classic album, and in my opinion one of the best debut albums of all time. Kanye let's the audience get perspectives on life that are thoughtful and heart warming, my favourite track is spaceship. Kanye West rises to fame with this album for a reason.… Expand

Best transition from someone was a Producer who turned to a Rapper. Kanye made his mark with style and that whole world knew he was from the groundbreaking Through the Wire to Jesus Walks and Family Business. Kanye managed to put in his religious views into the his Album with positive feedback from Fans and Critics alike. He may not be the best lyricist but he is certainly a deep one.

this had some good songs i love kanye for his production not for his rapping ability. but this album was pretty good i liked it. but its not my personal favorite kanye album. but yes this album is very listenable.

The best debut rap album of all time. get rich or die tryin is the only other one that comes close. a must have classic and my favorite rap album of all time 5.All eyez on Me
4.The Chronic 2001
3.Get Rich or Die Tryin
2.The Eminem Show
1.The College Dropout

I also think his rap is trash its not what he truly feels. He is a poser trying to fake it. A pretender out for bucks, not interested in his fans or the messages contained it it.

not surprised that he amazed me with this album but i wouldn't feel right giving it a 10 but it is worth buying and listening too it is amazing nothing but good things but some songs i wouldnt keep on my on the go playlist

One of the best debut albums ever made.

Before this album, Kanye West didn't become the ruler he is today. He was the acclaimed producer of Blueprint who served up hit tracks one after another. But his real dream was to become a rapper and that was a difficult task. In an industry dominated by gangsta rap and hardcore rap, it was hard for a backpacker like Kanye West to shine. But those troubles are furthermore reason why College Dropout is one of the best debut albums ever. Why? Because he overcame them with one HUGE leap.

Kanye isn't the gangsta/hustler type. He is the average guy who has something to say. He discusses various topics like college education, his drop out, materialism, consumerism, religion and its role in music among others. Not expected of a normal rap album because it sounds too normal. But that is the beauty of the album. West fearlessly dares to rap about things that don't include money, crack, girls, or clothes. And he does it with his own style that is powerful and engaging. He can be funny and serious at the same time. Lyrically, he isn't half-bad. He is able to interest his audience throughout the course of the album.

And the production? Oh man. The beats are surprisingly so catchy yet inventive. Jesus Walks features a pounding club peat and chants that accompany his messages of Jesus and lack of God on radio simply because there is no profitability. And The New Workout Plan features a booty shaker that is laced with Middle Eastern violins.

West's wordplay is still to be developed and some songs feel like filler tracks. Nonetheless, College Dropout is an outstanding achievement by one so normal to most of us yet so unique to his fellow rap peers.… Collapse

awesome

I like this very hot.

one of the hottest albums of all time lyrics are undeniable and the beats are amazing long live G.O.O.D. music

A Hip Hop Classic.

WOW. Now if I could give halves it would just be like a 9.5, because of the skits taking up such valuable track time. But aside from that, this is the most refreshing Hip Hop album in a long time, and Kanye West is one of the few mainstream artists people should welcome with open arms.

Amazing. When I first heard Kanye I thought it was just another solid rapper coming up. But the production on this album is far above great and the lyrics are more than solid. Kanye is the best well-rounded rapper, or maybe even music artist in general, of today.

the shti for real....

This is the best album in the freaking world .. and the best artist also !!!! kanye west .. a true singer not like all the other bitches who dnt even write there songs..

It's the best album what i heard in my life, i love this album, the song are various, the featurings are terrible!!! (Sorry for the fault i'm French )

This cd is an incredible debut. College dropout is incredible. best of 2004 hands down

this was an amazing cd, it expressed itself with a lot of humor!!! it made me feel very excited wen i listened to it.Thankyoun kanye u rok my world!!! luv ya xx

Excelent songs

collage dropout is the best album i have (and late registration lol) it was realeased on my birthday to im a really big fan of kanye and its a definate ten hands down he's so insperational i LOVE him his albums the best !!!!!!!!!! thnx 4 letting me share

One of the best albums ever made! Kanye is sick!

This cd was really nice one of the best of 2004

College Dropout is the best rao CD of all time. Kanye west is a legend!

Whether you agree with Kanye's political views or not, you have to agree that he can articulate his points very well and sell them to the targeted audience even better. His lyrics along with his new spin on hip hop have brought him to the top of the industry for a good reason. He is uniquely fantastic.

lame lame lame............................it is good to see some kind of diversity in mainstream hip hop but come on when you put it against the other rap album released that year Madvillainy. Boy in da corner Grey Album it aint nothing

Kayne is the greatest!!!!

Kanye sucks. What the hell is wrong with everyone, saying this is such a good album? It's just incredibly, mindblowingly, fantasticly boring! OH my god it's so boring! It has one song with a few good rhymes, but I don't remember the title, and I don't really care!

I think his rap is trash its not what he truely feels. He doesnt rap about real life like JAy z and Nas

Seriously, aint no betta album, i love this guy

very good!! only b chance i got the album

Has some good beats, and listenable subject matter. However, the sped up soul jacks (beats) get tiresome and receive way more credit than they deserve. Kanye's lyrical ability is non-existant, though you can pretend like you're not listening.

Kanye West gives you something different from ordinary rap/ hip hop. He has a perfect balance of songs. From songs Spaceship to Jesus Walks to Slow Jamz, he gives different flavors of music. There were times when I thought there was room for improvement, lyrically on a few songs. Kaywe West gives incredible production as well. Technically I'm giving the album 9.5. This album leaves you urging for more Kanye. 2.We Don't Care 8/10 4.All Falls Down 9.5/10 6.Spaceship 10/10 7.Jesus Walks 10/10 8.Never Let Me Down 9.5/10 9.Get Em High 7.5/10 11.The New Workout Plan 10/10 12.Slow Jamz 10/10 13.Breathe in Breathe Out 7/10 15.School Spirit 9.5/10 18.Two Words 10/10 19.Through the Wire 9.5/10 20.Family Business 10/10 21.Last Call 10/10… Expand

There is alot of filler but even with it there are still 14 or so legitimate(and mostly good)hip-hop tracks. Hands down, one of the best rap albums of the year.

This rap c.d. is so fuckin diff... how can it not get a good mark? Every song is awesome either its by lyrical beats or themes its all good.

i think it was the coldest cd of the year

Kanye is ruining hip-hop. He has some fly lyrics, but he shadows them my trying to appeal to people who just listen to the beats. If he's gonna make a rap album, he should make a rap album, not push his producing career.

Over a year later and this album is still tight!!!

Best hip-hop album I've ever bought.

Killin y'all n****z on that lyrical s**t Mayonnaise colored Benz, I push Miracle Whips

kanye is awesome. definitally the best album i've bought. this isthe only CD i own that i can listen 2 the whole thing without skipping a single track

genious!!!

simply amazing. covers an amazing variety of subjects with fresh beats and rhymes. worth listening to simply to justify dropping out of college. one of the only albums i've listened to lately with an actual thesis that is proven.

Jesus Walks is my anthem 'nuff said -Chris

this is an awesome album! it's good to see someone supporting the Man above!

the best

Being the best hiphop album since Beastie Boys' Hello Nasty, College Droput gave me renewed faith in a genre beset by soulless "bling bling" fakers. A must buy if I ever heard one!

the cd is just so wakeing dude you know what mean by wakeing it radical

Man, this CD was off the hook. Kanya rocks...his lyrics really shows the struggles in life, dat ppl face. He got skillz, both as rapper and produce. Best rapper ever after 2pac. Cant wait for his next album....

Kanye West's College Dropout album displayed real life struggles with the mantality of reaching out to the youth. He reflects on the difficulties, yet also, the love passion , and thanks for the life he has been given.

I hope this brings a certain change in hip hop,black music has had its ganster stage. Its goin back to a soul full tune, and a blues style beat, and singin about things that can change in life, positive as well as the the negatives. And the positives are not just 'bling' and rollin on 21's which frankly bore the life outta me, who wants to sing about gold and chrome? Well i cant relate to it as a listener. … Expand

no doubt pipz... tha album iz dope.. kanye got crazy drumz.. but his not as an mc.. his creatz crazyass jamz fo other artist.. lik jigga.. but his not tha best mc out there... HIZ A GUY WHO TALKZ IN HIS Jamz creatively..

this cd is ridiculous.

Best Album of the year

Incredible work. Kanye West is not one of the top rappers around, but he delivers an amazing message and knows how to make beats fit his style.

wow

Best cd i've ever listened to

This CD College DropOut is Hot. I Love this Cd. This is one of my favorite Cd's. Kanye I wish you good luck and make some more hot CD's. Love Ya, Quanisha Williams

I love all the songs on this cd!!!!!!!!

This album was the BOMB!

I think Kanye is a musical genious.He has something to say that is actually meaningful, unlike other rappers who just want to talk about how much they have or how much they can get. I couldnt agree more than i do now on well Kanye is doing as an artist,role model,and man.If hes there somewhere .... Hello from NY to you Kanye. Rachael R.

I am an amateur rapper and producer and the way he raps and the way his beats rock just make me wanna do it more.

Now I usually like the rock music. Actually no; I usually ONLY like the rock music. But this album is so good! I heard Jesus walks on TV and absolutly loved it. No more rappers 'talking' about cars and 'bootys'. This has made me have a new found respect for hip-hop music!

Name one rapper that talks about god in a postive way while swearing. He has had the best cd I have ever listend to

Its the best album ever made every song is a hit!!!

Family Business and school spirit the two best song on this album yet the only one's mentioned r jesus walks and the other 1's people should b given a chance to hear these they r great oh and kayne west is fit

Is there anything you can really say. Just sick(in a good way)

awesome

KANYE WEST IS THE CRAZIEST, FUNNIEST, DOPEST and the most CHEERFUl RAPPER EVER... COLLEGE DROPOUT is the best album of 2004..woRDD

its alllllllll good!

It is excellent. Kanye rules Through the wire n slow jamz are amazing

This is the best CD of 2004 so far!

It has songs on it that I can listen to with my mother and my 9 year old sister. Some of the songs aren't for everybody but I love the cd. I listen to it everynight before I go to bed and in the morning before I leave home. It is just awesome I haven't gotten tired of it yet.

The best album for a first beginner, almost one of the best to me, i love through the wire, get em high, family business, Jesus walks, we don't care, and all falls down. That is a pimpin' cd...

This cd is almost perfect with songs that are simlply deeper than the regular hip hop album some of the songs are gritty and need some polishing like the song with Common, common just dont do it for the song all in all i think its one of the hottest things made not as good as maybe jayz's blueprint or reasonable doubt or maybe biggie's ready to die but give him a chance he is hot

My Husband has the best album EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Just deeeeeeeeerty.

from his style to his music, all original

lauren hill should of been on that all falls down. that version is hot! but all in all k. west is a genius, but of course he would be, look who he's rolling with. it's the ROC in the building

One of the best rap albums ever to be released.

album is much deeper than just any average album

ThiS CD is hot The best CD this year. I love it. Its addictive listening to Kanye's CD.

album is sick from beginning to end

AMAZING

i was sold when i first heard "all falls down" on the radio. "through the wire" was iight but "all falls down" was lyrically beautiful. From then i knew that the whole album had to be like it....and basically it was... Let's start from the beginning.....the intros were hilarious. well.. now that i think about it....i better start w/ the cons of the album cuz the pros will take me all day.... 1)get em high -- kanye's part in this song is pretty good, and so is the first have of talib's....but after that the song goes down...WAY down. Common really SUCKED in this song--the lyrics don't really make any sense and it makes him song really bad....same with talib but not as bad. 2)some ppl seemed not to like the new workout plan....i figure that if u have a good sense of humor then u'll love this song cuz i do. true this song does seem kinda outta place...but then again where else would it have gone? 3)one thing that got on my nerves in "school spirit" and "through the wire" was that they were edited! now there's just somethin w/ me and edited songs they just get on my f**kin nerves!!! (u know what i'm sayin!?) 4) through the wire -- funny the first single of this album was one of the worse songs of the album. first it was kinda edited, and second it sounded like they did nothing to the song...just played the same video version. the quality even sounded like it was recored from a television rather than a recording studio...that was just a little thing that kinda pissed me off (as u can see i pay too much attention to little things) 5) it just kinda felt like there were too many interludes and skits....although there kinda wasn't...it just feels like it (7/21 songs were skits/interludes if that gives u a better idea) 6) personally...if i had only heard jesus walks from kanye....i wouldn't have signed him either :-) funny when i'm reading over these cons they dont' even sound all that bad...and really they arent'...i just pay way too much attention to detail. with the exception of those cons this album was fantastic. kanye is lyrically brilliant and he puts a lot of thought and feeling into what he says. One thing that i must mention out of the general (i'm sorry that this review is somewhat general than others i've done....i mean i just can't explain really how good some of these aspects r) is the last two songs and the outro. This was the best part of the cd and i'd have to say the one of the (if not THE) best endings of a cd that i've ever heard. Family business is the best song on the cd that is just heart touching and awesome (yes i said awesome) song. after that "last call" is a nice outro song where he flos to a hot beat and the choirs in both songs r great and 8+min outro is very nice to listen to...and i've found myself listenin to it a lot more than just once. in short (lol kinda funny after writing all this), the college dropout is nearest to perfect that u'll hear for this whole year. the fact that i gave this a 10 doesn't mean that this album was perfect...but this album has sentimental value that exceeds its lyrics, beats, and production.… Expand